O'Shea is playing left back now. There was a funny moment there where Seamus Coleman ran at O'Shea and turned him inside out. O'Shea recovered well to block the cross by Coleman. Poor form by Seamie!
Even though West Brom conceded three I thought O'Shea was solid enough today, if he can keep his first team place all season I think we could have a serious first team prospect on our hands by next summer that can challenge for one of the centre back positions - he should only get better the more he plays at this level.
He's a very useful player to have in the context of a squad as well, inasmuch as he can play anywhere across the back four - or three.
I wonder if he'll be in the panel from the start this time round.
Looks like WBA have shifted to a back four today. Darnell Furlong has been right wing back but has been dropped for Kyle Edwards, an attacking player.
O'Shea keeps his place so it's likely he'll be right back in a flatter four.
....and Doherty's understudy for Thursday
Bilic likes Dara O'Shea. And I like Bilic after his positive words about Ireland.
Slaven Bilic says making Ireland debut will help Dara O’Shea’s confidence https://the42.ie/5236261
From that article:
"I was the new manager, I came here and then you start and after two seconds, you hear ‘How many touches?’, ‘How many that?’ – Dara never asked that, he knew. He listens to everything and that’s a big part of his improvement.“He listens he thinks about his game. He is like a sponge. He listens to you and tries to improve his game, and that’s why his improvement has been really unbelievable.
“If you consider where he was last season at this time and where he is now, it’s like a fairytale. But he deserves it all.
“The main thing is is quality, but apart from the quality, it’s also his determination and his focus."
And then what does Bilic do? Drops him, that's what! I think you'll have to end your man crush on Bilic after this episode Olé Olé.
best player in a horrible defence, got a streetwise lesson by Callum Wilson after 20 second, Dara cover the pass!!! Improved after that one, he is the future
Has a tendency of going to the floor too much, what a game vs Almirón and Wilson, a baptism of fire
Ive got to tell you this guy won me over, such a lovely player, so composed on the ball reminds me a bit of the greek guy at Arsenal. I think we have a central midfielder in the making, can play the back 4, but we could be an asset as center holding midfield ....dont want to rush expectations but showed a bit of Paul McGrath in him,
Sokratis Papastathopoulos kind of `player, while he is young I would play him in central midfield, he has to improve a bit, but this kid has some ability on the ball, uses it very good, Dont see his best place is as a defender but in midfield
Bilic liked what he saw the weekend. Looks like he partners Ajayi at centre back in a back four tonight.
So cool on the ball, he won me over last match, but I would try him as defensive midfielder, read this Stephen Kenny. He could play fullback position, but I would try him as a holding midfielder
Hes been brilliant tonight against City, hes developing into a very good defender
Bookmarks